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This won't be anytime soon, but in the future sometime, I'd like to have a young character (7 months, I know that's the limit) born off-board and have a NPC relative (probably mother) drop him off at the borders of a pack baby-on-the-doorstep style. Would this be possible? Just making sure that this wouldn't break any rules I'm not aware of. Thanks in advance!

Recruit (NPC)

Reigh

This is fine! Like you said, played characters born off-board must be at least 7 months of age. It's fine for an NPC relative to accompany the character for 'Souls and leave him at the borders. :)

However, this wouldn't quite be "baby-on-the-doorstep" since 7 month old characters, while still "puppies", have the maturity of ~11 year olds, and are culturally adults in most packs. One of the reason characters newly arrived at 'Souls must be at least 7 months old is because it is more realistic for them to survive on their own than younger characters. However, the plot is still fine!

Inferni
Evocati III

Raze

tatter-wingedphoenixcunning linguist

That's good to hear, but now you've made me curious. If the reason a character born off-board has to be 7 months is because it'd be more realistic for them to survive on their own, could there ever be exceptions to situations like my own?

He would've been raised by his mother up until the point he was dropped off into the pack's care, so he wouldn't have been fending for himself. Is there anyway I could have him be younger than 7 months to help my plot?

Thanks again for replying ^-^

Recruit (NPC)

Reigh

Unfortunately no, we don't make exceptions. It used to be that puppies < 7 months were allowed to join with a guardian, etc., but it became difficult to double-check and make sure that the realism was being adhered to, and so we decided to institute the slightly stricter rule just to make it simpler for players and staff. (And the other reason is to make adoptable puppies born on-board more attractive by granting them "perks" like earlier playable age, so it isn't entirely an IC reasoning, haha.)

The plot is still totally doable with a 7 month old, though -- because just because they're more capable doesn't mean they aren't still adolescents who can't entirely fend for themselves, and some individuals might need more help than others! A puppy who was taught to hunt from a young age and grew up in a tough environment would be more self-sufficient at 7 months than a same-aged youngster who didn't have to learn to hunt and was pampered.

Inferni
Evocati III

Raze

tatter-wingedphoenixcunning linguist

Thanks for all the help, it's definitely given me some ideas to think over. I've got a lot of work to do with Cerys before I should even consider a secondary character, so I've got lots of time to plan. It's good to be back :)

Recruit (NPC)

Reigh

I do believe, though someone correct me if I'm wrong, that you could play the mother/guardian and the puppy. As in, have the guardian be the primary character with a pup cNPC, who may or may not be properly taken care of as long as the guardian isn't incidental (especially since an cNPC can't appear in a thread without the primary, titled character). I do believe the primary character could even be a seven month old pup with a younger pup following them around.

The only issue would be switching them out, as they'd be an auxiliary character. Even as your second, there'd be a wait between dropping the guardian and picking up the now seven month old pup that you'd wanted to join with in the first place.

If you didn't mind that though, you could have a bit more development with the pup in the pack, though it's not quite the same "baby on the doorstep" situation. Unless it's an eleven year old and a baby on the figurative doorstep.